Floyd Lamb Park

 Floyd Lamb Park is a 680-acre park situated in the northern parts of Las Vegas. Inside the park, you will find Tule Springs Ranch, a historical site showing early ranch life in the Mohave desert. The park offers hiking and biking trails, wildlife and more. The occasional farmers’ market or festival brings in a small crowd. For me, the main focus is the four ponds and the fishing potential they hold.

Unlike Sunset Park or Lorenzi Park, Floyd Lamb is not a free public park. I have met many a fisherman telling tales from the “old days” when the park was free, but I never had the opportunity to experience the park as free. This might cloud my judgment a bit, but I for one, appreciate the small differences these fees tend to bring to the park.

A small $6 fee per vehicle (as per the writing of this) or an annual fee, grants you access to the park. This entrance fee has a few beneficial effects on your experience at the park. For starters, the bigger budget means that gazebos and benches are maintained better than at its free counterparts. Likewise, the buildings and loos are in a far better state than those at some of the free parks. General cleanliness seems to be higher as they have more staff around.

This does, however, mean that you lose foot-traffic to the park. From the viewpoint of the park, that can be a bad omen. From my viewpoint, that is a great thing. Fewer people mean less fishing pressure, which leads to better opportunities to catch fish. Only one of the four ponds get stocked with fish, which can make fishing the other ponds a bit tricky. But with a three-fish limit at the park, management of the ponds is key. Balance is important, and I feel this park has achieved it. Let’s hope they keep it!